Carton



Nov. 28, 1939. H,. REvE 2,181,483'

CARTON Filed Oct. 8, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HERMAN L, 671% v5 Nov. 28, 19 39. H, GREVE 2,181,483

CARTON Filed Oct. 8, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR V l Ii. b I

- l/44 M HI HERMAN L. G/PEVE Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

My invention relates to cartons used in transporting merchandise.

The object of my invention is to provide cartons of the type made of fibre board and folded to form various specific constructions having flap portions, with struts to reenforce and withstand crushing pressure when filled with heavy! or fragile merchandise and shipped in superimposed relation.

A further object is to provide a blank which may be folded to provide a carton, which blank is provided with means formed integral therewith adapted to hold a strut or struts which may thereafter be attached thereto, or to the carton in the process of erecting the same.

A further object is to provide such cartons with means for bracing them which may be easily attached to the flap portions selected for bracing and also removable freely therefrom.

A further object is to provide cartons having flap portions which will extend over the upper ends of the struts to hold them in position while exposing a portion of them to view, or which may be folded over the upper ends of the struts and extend downwardly to the bottom of the carton and entirely enclose and conceal them.

A further object is to provide a carton having means formed integral for holding the struts without the use of pockets or any stitching operation, and which will permit the struts to shift vertically and automatically adjust themselves relative to the fiap portions in the act of folding the blank into carton form.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of the specification;

Fig. 1 is a plan view which discloses the body portion of a carton provided with four inner side flaps each of which carries one or more struts, and a flap which extends over the upper ends of the struts and therefrom to the bottom of the carton, thus entirely enclosing and concealing the struts from view, and also having end flaps which extend from the top wall to the bottom of the carton, thus providing a plurality of vertically extending walls at each side of the carton to strengthen the same.

Fig. 2 is an elevational side view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the inner side flap shown partly in sec- 50 tion to disclose the struts normally covered and concealed thereby.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the same construction, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same construction showing the carton in a partly erected-condition.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank with the struts positioned therein, ready for folding.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a body portion of a carton having side walls consisting of a single sheet portion on each side thereof, and end walls 5 comprising fiap portions which are normally concealed from view.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the carton shown in Fig. 6 and differs from the carton shown in the first five figures; the end walls instead of the side walls carrying the struts which are concealed when the carton is folded as shown in Fig. 6, but are not so concealed when the end flap portions are made longer and extend over the carton to form a cover therefor.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the blank with the struts held in the selected flaps formed to hold them.

Referring now to the first five figures of the drawings: Ill indicates a blank formed from a sheet of fibre or similar board, scored as illustrated in dotted lines, to permit it to be easily folded.

The blanks are shipped to the merchants in their flat condition together with the struts carried thereby or in separate packages, for use as needed.

The side flap portions l l--I I, etc., are slitted as illustrated at l2-l2 respectively (see Figures 2 and 6) in rectangular form which provides a tab l3 which could be removed in the process of making the blank and thus provide an opening thru which the struts could be passed in securing them to the fiap, but I prefer to use the tabs which assist in holding the struts in position and also in guiding them in the act of attaching them to the flaps.

The tabs hinge at l3 and guide a strut I 4 in its entering movement into the slit and by reason of the stiffness of the tab it acts to hold the strut from freely slipping therefrom.

The width of the strut is by slightly less than that of the width of the opening below the tab and therefore the strut cannot shift laterally but it may shift vertically. 45

The length of the strut is usually equal to the width of the flap which carried it, but at times the struts may vary slightly in length and by reason of the fact that they can move vertically the difference in length relative to the width of the flap, permits the extending ends of the struts to extend equally at both sides of the flap and automatically adjust itself, as will be readily understood.

In erecting the carton from the blank shown 55 .other until their free ends abut, then the end flaps I! are folded upwardly to a vertical position thus carrying the end portions l8 which bend on the lines It! and carries the portions l I, after which each flap I8 is folded over the top sides of the portions l6 and extend therefrom to the bottom of the carton, carrying the side portions ll-ll into position (see Fig. 4).

In this condition the struts rest on the bottom of the carton, and it could be used without the use of the flap portions Iii-l9 respectively, but by bending the portions |9|9 respectively over the upper ends of the struts with their free ends resting on the bottom of the carton, the carton is strengthened and the struts are enclosed so that no article in the carton will directly contact them, thus providing a smooth interior surface.

However, the said flap members may be used as a cover for the carton when materials are to be shipped therein that will not be injured by contact with the struts.

I prefer to use struts made of stiff strong wood, those now in use being of an inch thick and 1 inch wide, but these dimensions may be changed, being dependent upon the weight of the goods carried and the size of the carton, and their location and number used also being dependent upon their use.

In Figures 6, 7, and 8, I have shown a modified construction formed from a blank 20 to provide the body portion 2|, and the blank is folded as shown in Fig. '7, and the construction will be clearly understood by those skilled in this art.

Where separate covers are used they may be of the usual telescoping type, or of any other type required to serve the purpose.

The blanks made as illustrated and provided with means for holding the struts in position when the carton is erected, may be used without the struts for shipment of certain kinds of merchandise, and by adding the struts may again be used for the shipment of heavier or more fragile articles which require more protection.

Having thus described my inventionflI claim as new:

1. A carton of the character described formed from a blank of sheet material scored and folded to form a body portion and flap portions, some of said flap portions having openings spaced a predetermined distance apart thru which a strut may'be inserted and extend perpendicular to the bottom of the carton for the purpose of bracing the carton. 2. The construction defined in claim 1, together with a strut extending thru said openings and extending a distance substantially equal to the width of the flap.

3. A carton of the character described formed from a blank of sheet material scored and folded bottom and outer side and end walls and flap portions, some of said side and end flap portions extending from the top edges of the carton to the bottom thereof and slitted to provide tabs,

struts extending thru said flap under said tabs and extending substantially from the lower to the upper edges of the flaps to which they are attached.

6.,A carton of the character described comprising ablank of fibrous material scored and folded to provide a body portion comprising a bottom and outer side and end walls, and flap portions some of which are selected and formed with means for holding a strut, and a strut held by each of said selected flaps and extending from the bottom of the carton to the upper side thereof.

7. A carton of the character described comprising a blank scored and folded to form a body portion having a bottom, side and end walls, and flap portions some of which are selected and formed with means for holding a strut, and a strut carried by each of said selected flaps and secured thereto by said means, said struts extending perpendicular to the bottom of the carton.

8. The construction defined in claim '7, together with; said struts being movable relative to said holding means.

9. The construction defined in claim '7,'together with; each of said means comprising a pair of tabs formed integral with said flap.

10. A carton of the character described formed from a sheet of fibrous material which is scored and folded to form a body portion and flap portions, some of said flap portions extending along the inner side of the outer walls of the body portion and formed to provide openings, struts extending thru said openings the lower ends of 'which extend to the bottom of the carton and the upper ends to the upper side of the walls thereof,. and flap portions extending over the upper ends of the struts and serving to hold them in their normal position in the carton.

11. The construction defined in claim 10 together with; and also serving to cover and conceal the struts and provide a smooth inner wall surface.

]2.-The construction defined in claim 10 together with; said struts being movable vertically relative to the flaps whereby they may adjust themselves in the act of erecting the carton.

HERMAN L. GREVE. 

